Lawn sprinkler and flushing opening seal



July 27, 1943. H. A. scHERRER LAWN SPRINKLER AND FLUSHING OPENING SEAL Filed Jan. 14, 1941 y w /1454 M Patented July 27, 1943 SEAL ` Harry AaScherrer, San Diego,falif' Application January 14, 1941seria1rN0. 374,409 `1 claim'. (ci. 29e-aen This invention relates tolawn sprinklers and the like,- and has for one o f its objects the pro'- duction of a simple and eilicient sprinkler assembly Which is `so arranged and constructed as to shield the flushing opening of the sprinkler and prevent foreign 'I'natte'r such as dirt or g'rit from being washed down into the body of the sprinkler andthereby interfering with tnaproper operation of `the plunger ineinber which supports the sprinkler head. r

A further object of this-invention is the production of a simple and efficient sprinkler assemflange which is carried by the plunger inember and atilg lis' adapted t fit snugly @Ver the flushing Opllllg f th Gap Of the assembly s0 21S topreveht the entrance of foreign matter into the body of the sprink1er, suchfor instance as during rain storms or' hoods.

otherV objects and advantages of thepresent -inventionwili appear lthroughout the` following v specification and claim.

The present invention is an'k improvement upon my previous applicationled March 6, 1940, Ser. No. 322,493, relating toLawn sprinkler bOdy,'Pat ent No. 2,269,919, issuedJanuary 13, 1942.

In the drawing:

Figure: 1 vis a side elevational 'View of .the

sprinkler'assembly';

Figure -2'is a vertical sectional view;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view with the assembly in an extended position, certain parts being shown in elevation; a'

Figure'4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line '4f-d of Figure 2; and f i Figure 5 is an 'enlarged sectional view taken on line 5-2-5 of Figure l, certain parts being shown in elevation.

By referring to the drawing, it will be seen that I0 designates the hollow body of the sprinkler assembly which is provided with a base I I having a depending threaded extensionlz for connection with the water supply main I3 shown in dotted lines. The body I0 is provided with an externally threaded upper end I4 over which is threaded acap I5, this cap I5 having a tapering outer end i6 and a beveled ring-receiving seat I '1.

The hollow body I0 is provided with a central vbore I8 at its lower end, and the lower threaded end I9 of the hollow vertically extending overow tube 2B is threaded into this bore I8, asy

shown in Figure 2. This overflow tube 2U is provided with a flared outer end 2 I, as shownY in Figures 2, 3 and 5.

A hollow plunger member 22 1s mounted for is carried bythe plunger member 22.

camember 22 is [provided with an externally threaded upper end 26 `upon which is .threaded a longitudinal .sliding movement withinV the hollow body -III and this plunger member 22 is provided with al hexagonal ange 23 at its lower end,the corners of theflange having sliding Contact with the inner face ofthe hollow body I0 and the flat portions ofthe flangebeing-spaced from the inner wall of the bodyv I0 to permitthe'passage of water from a point belowthe flange 23 to a point above the nange. The plunger 2211s, provided witha longitudinally extendingjchannelrM upon one sideand a set screw 25 is carried by the cap I5 for fitting in the channel 24v/hen desired, toholdr the plunger 24 against rotation within the body IIlwhen for instance,a directional sprinkler head The plungsuitable sprinkler head 21 ofthe desired type, a conventional head being illustrated in thevdrawing. The plunger membery221is provided with-an annular flange 28"which may be fastened or soldered; to the plungerjorinany desired manner `attaclried thereto, the'flange Ztlbeing carried at a point just below the .head 21, asshown in Figures 2, 3 and 5.` The iiange 28 is provided with a `beveled inner face 29 along its lower edge and this beveled face 29 is adapted to .fit snugly upon the beveled ringereceivingvseat I1 to provide aseal therefor. v

The ared portion 2i of the flushing tube 2B nts looselywithin` the hollow plunger member 22, as shown in Figure 5,*angd this flared lportion extends slightly above the 'cap I5 and acts asa `brace for the hollow, plunger niernberas .thel

vplunger member 22 moves longitudinally. This flared portion also provid'esmeans to assist in Y. holding the -hollowfplungermember ,22'L in spaced relation from the inner bore 391 of the 'cap I5, as

shown in Figure 5, the spacing oi' the bore y3l] from theside wall of the plunger LZ2-"providing a flushing channel communicating'with the outer end of the cap I5 and which channel is adapted to` be closed by the liange 2t when the sprinkler assembly is ina retracted position, such as is shown in Figures 2and 5. The upper face of the flange 23 is preferably beveled, as at3I, and the inner end of the bore Sil .is preferably provided with a beveled. seat 32 against which of the flange 23 isadapted to abut. v

f A very Vimportant point inl connectionwith the present structure is that the flange 28 fits down over the cap I5 and keeps the soil pressed down Well below the cap at all times so that if any dirt or grit should be'washed downduring the time be lodged against the side of the cap I5 and will shed away from theflushing opening formed betweenthe cap I5 and the plunger 22 and there will be no tendency for this foreign matter to be forced down into the flushing opening and cause the plunger 22 to clog within'the cap I 5 and prevent the plunger from operating. The -soil or dirt Vwould be pressed down7 each Vtime the tube 22 vand head 2'! drop back to a retracted position, shown in Figure 2, and the flange 28 would form a seal upon the beveled seat Il ,som

that no foreignmatter could enter the device from any cause when the deviceisfin a closed position, even during rain-storms or floods.

Through the medium of the present device,` `it is possible to mount the structure below the surface of the ground and therebyxpermit a mow-l ing machine to easilyy pass over the sprinklers" without injury. Furthermore, the arrangement ofthe ange 28 provides -an efficient shielding for the flushing opening,this flange tending to push any accumulated matterdown `away'from the .flushing opening and force the accumulatedA matter do'wnthe inclined face VIii -fof-the-cap f-I5. The'present' device permits theassembly to be vplacedbelow the surface-of the ground as Stated',

so `that theV sprinkler Vhead maybe Altvelow-the .level'of the ground or grass where the heads are 'practically .invisible when Vthe device-'is not in,

operation. '-Thedevice, however, 'isVv adaptedfto -raise` automaticallyrbywater pressurewh'en the `wateris turned onfallowing'the `sprinklerhead to operate with the utmost efficiency andwithout* obstruction, and yalso permitting 'the parts to` y `automatically returnto a retracted position by -foree of Igravity when the water supply isls'h'ut off. Through themedium ofthe flushing opening formed by` spacing the" wall of .the bore `from the vouterxwall of thelplunger 22 the device will be' selfcleaningand the *operationv of the rstructure `willprevent-.foreign matter such as -gras's and"dirt"from entering the bodyY l! and also from obstructing' and interfering with the operation-of `the parts due to the fact that there will be nov suction #created tending to 'draw the yforeign particles as the water is cut off.

L'Whenthe water'is turnedon the plunger member 22 will rise vertically and Water will also pass vinto the `body lll 'and be forced out through f the flushing opening in the cap I5 around the plunger 22, thereby keepingthe flushing opening clean.`v As the plunger 22 recedes when the waterfisiturned off, the'flange 23 will permit the water from the body to pass from a point below the flange toa point above, and the displacement of water from the body l0 by movementof-the plungerlmember 22 into the body will cause water to be ejected through the flushing 'opening between 'the' cap l5 and plunger 22, thereby providing a self-cleaning means adthe sprinkler is operating, this dirt or grit will jacent the beveled seat I1, and causing any foreign matter to be shed away from the cuter end of the 'cap l5. As the flange 26 drops upon the uppe` end of the cap I5, the inclined face 29 will rest upon the seat I7 and provide an efcient seal. It should be understood that the inclined face or seat Il is inclined downwardly and outwardly and the inclined face 29 is cornplementary thereto and 4. is inclined outwardly and downwardly. Water. passing vover this seat Il will tend to wash away all debris or at least meisten this debris, mud, and the like, to such an extent kasto permit the weight of the cap l5 to force foreign matter downwardly and outwardly from between the seat and flange by a squeezing action.'Y

Itshouldbe (understood that the flange 28 may be of any suitable or desired material, and may be connected and supported upon the `plunger Y22 in any desiredmanner 4without departing from the spirit 0f4 the invention., Havingdescribed'the invention, what I claim vas new iS:

,Ausprinkler assemblyfo'f classi described .comprising a hollow-body-ihaving a lowereend adapted -to be connected to a water ,supply line, saidbody having an open upper end,. anV overflowk tube concentrically-secured in thehollow body, a khollow plunger member longitudinally slidable within said hollow body andsurrounding the said overfiow tube, said-,plungerlbeing adapted to moverupwardly relative to the body and outwardly throughthe open-upper en d thereof, -said plungenmember `having an upper ,water discharge end, `a sprinkler headcarried by f the upper ywater discharge, end ofsaid plunger squeezing Vactionfy member yand adapted :to'be:l raised with the *toward its outeredgerand being adapted tO--t Vsnugly upon Said fbeveled, seat lwhen the l'flange is in a closed position upon the cap, the-inclined faces of the seat and flange being adapted to direct drainage and accumulated debris from Y between the-seat and flange, and the'weight of the plunger 'member and sprinkler. head being adapted to force foreign matter downwardly and outwardlyfrom betweenthe seat and flange by a HARRY A. scniirRREn` 

